The Dackel Princess

Tis the season to be jolly!

Here we are, December 23 and Christmas is just around the corner. My shopping is done, wrapping will commence tomorrow as well as my yearly watching of It’s a Wonderful Life! But this week’s Friday Five finds me looking back over the year and being very thankful for a few very important things.

1. Our darling grandson, Quinn tops the chart. I cannot tell you how thankful we are that Quinn is happy, healthy and beautiful.  At nine months old he is already quite the character. The boy is walking!

He also will eat anything put in front of him. He is happy and loving and adores his big sister and family. Yes, Quinn brought so much joy into our lives with his arrival.

2. Miss Savannah continues to grow and become more and more dear in the process. At four years old, she is smart and determined, and she loves with her whole heart.

She is such a beauty too, with long light auburn hair and hazel eyes, like her Mommy. She is a kind child and seems to watch over other kids, especially her baby brother.

  3. My daughter Amanda. She is amazing! I stayed with her and the family for a few weeks after my surgery to recover, and I witnessed her working at her job, from home. I listened to her in a conference call and I was so proud of the way she spoke. Not so much what she was saying, but the sound of her voice, her ability to answer questions quickly and efficiently and her manners are impeccable.

She is also the best Mom ever. As I watched her juggle motherhood, job and a sick mother, Me,  I felt honored to be the mother of such a remarkable woman.

   

4. My cousin, Janet. She was there for me during my recovery. Helping me with broken cell phones, shopping for clothes I could wear that didn’t hurt my incision, and bringing me to her home for Thanksgiving, where we did everything from eat, watch wonderful movies and play Cards Against Humanity!

   

She comforted me and made me feel so very loved.

5. My sister. Always my sister. For she loves me no matter what, warts and all. And I love her. One thing I love about my sister is that her heart is really very pure. She adores her family and all her grandchildren, and always works hard to make each one feel special.

Melodie on the left and me on the right.

Someone once said to her that ‘Not everyone will like you’, which confused my sister. She really loves people, even if she is treated unkindly in return. Her heart is big and full of love. It’s sad when people don’t understand that if you are lucky enough to be loved by my sister, you will have a devoted friend, and helper for the rest of your life!

There is, of course Hubby and there are so many other women and men alike who have been here for me this year. How lucky I am to have these wonderful people in my life. I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

 

I’m trying to get back into the swing of things, despite being laid up with a bad neck. I never realized what a tough job it had holding up an 8-12 pound bowling ball known as a head! However, here is what’s going on in my life on a day to day basis.

1. I don’t sleep much. It’s hard to get comfortable in the recliner or in bed. So, I watch a lot of TV, and a lot of movies. I find that TV is the best sleeping pill ever. Seems to put me right to sleep!
2. Each day we go out for 20-30 minutes and I walk around, inside stores. There is now snow and ice outside, so being inside is the best.  I also tend to see people I know, and it is good for both my body and morale. When I am done with the walking I just get back in the car and we go home.
3. Whoever invented a Cervical Spine heating pad should be hugged and kissed. It is amazing how this cape of warmth helps me.
4. I am psyched about the appointment in Boston. I want someone to look at my neck, x-rays and MRI and figure out exactly what is going on and what we can do to fix it.
5. Most of you don’t know that I had a really bad reaction to the pain medication they gave me, so unless I absolutely need pain meds, I’ve chosen not to take anything more than Ibuprofen and Tylenol. I think in some ways this is good. It keeps me from doing too much that would aggravate my neck and when I have my next surgery, they can hopefully use medications that will not make me so ill.